KUCHING, Feb 1: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) together with SUPP Kota Sentosa Branch members today visited Kota Sentosa market to distribute mandarin oranges and to extend festive greetings to the hawkers and their customers in conjunction with the fast-approaching Chinese New Year.
SUPP PCB chief Wilfred Yap, in a press statement, highlighted that in multi-racial and multi-cultural Sarawak, the people observed a range of traditions, festivals and rituals all year round.
“These festivals and rituals go beyond the superficial, as they are part of our rich Sarawakian culture and heritage. Sarawakians still observe the festivals for the value they add to family togetherness and social bonding.
“They still flourish today because many among the older generation have persisted in seeking to preserve and sustain them as part of our tradition and heritage. Traditions, customs and festivals are the foremost of our OneSarawak identity as a race, as a people and as a nation,” he said.
Festivals like the Chinese New Year, Yap pointed out, had become occasions for the people to get together to renew familial ties and friendships.
“This alone is reason enough for us to continue celebrating them. We observe them today because they anchor us to our past as well as link our children to us.
“As we celebrate Chinese New Year, SUPP PCB and SUPP Kota Sentosa Branch also hope that Sarawakians will all strive to enhance the spirit of patriotism of OneSarawak and love for our country and recommit ourselves to further develop and strengthen the unity and understanding between the races with trust and respect for one another,” he said.
Yap reminded that in the multi-cultural and multi-religious fabric of Sarawak, it was through harmony and understanding among the various races that bind all together as one people under OneSarawak. — DayakDaily
